The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-20
THE FIELD OF LITERATURE
New Books.

| The Life of Henry Clay" by Carl Schurz, is
| notable addition to American biography. Mr..
| Clay was for long time a conspicuous figure in
| American affairs. and will continue to occupy a
| prominent place in political history. He
| furnishes an interesting subject for biography,
and Mr.. Schurz is very capable of handling it It
| follows that he has produced an interesting and
| valuable work. Added to a thorough mastery of
| political philosophy and knowledge of American
| history Mr.. Schurz has evidently made a close
| study of Mr.. Clays character and career and of
| the times il which he lived. He admires Mr..
| Clay, though not a hero-worshiper. Mr..
| Schurz, though now a free trader, was in early
life protectionist and therefore had early pre-
possessions in favor Of Mr. Clay's doctrines. But
he treats the subject from impartial. histori-
| cal stand point. The opening sentences of the
| work will serve specimen Of the authors
| style.
Few public characters in American history"
he says. ''have been the subjects of more heated
| controversy than Henry Clay There was no
| measure OF detraction and obloquy to which,
| during his lifetime, his opponents would not re-
sort, and there seemed to be no limit to the ad-
| miration and attachment of his friends. While
| his enemies denounced him pretender and
selfish intrieuer in politics and an abandoned
| profig ate In private lfe his sup
porsers . qnhestssnsy placed him first
| it's saints. The animosities against him have,
| naturally, long ago disappeared; but even now.
| more than thirty years after his DEATH may
| hear old men, who knew him in the days of his
| strength, speak of him with enthusiasm and
affection warm and fresh to convince
that the recollection of having followed his lead
ershiD is among the dearest treasures of their
| memory. The remarkable fascination he exer-
| cised seems to have reaches even beyond his
| living existence. 1t is, therefore, not to be
| wondered at that his biographers. most of whom
| were his personal friends, should have given
| an abundance OF raphsodic eulogy instead of a
| clear account OF what their hero thought on
matters Of public interest, Of what he did and
| advised others to do, of his successes and his
| failures, and of the influence he exercised in
This, indeed, is an easy task, for Henry
| Clay had, during the long period of his public
life, covering nearly half q century, larger
share in national legislation than any other con-
| temporary statesman-not, indeed, as an orisi-
| nator Of ideas and systems but as an arranger
of measures and as a leader of political forces.
| His public life may therefore DO said to be an
| important part of the national history"
| After treating briefly OF Mr.. Cay's ancestry,
| lie career This is treated very full and
satisfactory manner, showing thorough mastery
of the subject. and in a style that is altogether
admirable. The work is published In the
American Stateman" series of Houghton Milf
fin & Co., Of Boston, and makes two volumes of
about 400 pages each; price 81 so the set. In
dianapolis, The Bowen Merrill Company.
An interesting addition to Beecher literature
is "a Summer in England QsS6) with Henry
Ward Beecher: giving the Sermons. Lectures
and Addresses delivered by him III Great Britain
during that season; also an account of the tour,
expressions of public opinion, etc., edited by
James B. Pond. With photo-artotype portrait
of Mr.. Beecher, and seven pages fac smile of
manuscript notes for his Address to Theological
Students, City Temple, London" Major Pond
was Mr.. Beecher's manager and travelling COM
panion during his last trip abroad, and is, there
fore. we'll qualified to describe it. It is very
interesting narrative of Mr.. Beechers stay in
Britain, every hour Of which was spent amid
such cordial greetings from strangers, and ad-
miring tributes from associations, and enthusi-
astic throngs of listeners. ana eulogistic public
introductious, and apprecative Journalistic crit
icisms, and private and public hospitalites and
affectionate demonstrations from friends, old
and new-in short, such q continuous whirl OF
fattering ovatlon-as would have turned the
head of any ordinary man. Besides the account
of the trip, there are given eight addresses
delivered by Mr. Beecher t16O paees), four of his
lectures (118 pages) and seventeen sermons and
prayers (29s paGesh the whole book making
above 700 pages.
The photo artotype portrait is a picture of Mr..
Beecher. taken last year The seven pages of
manuscript fac simile, given with the address
for which the notes were jotted down. will in
Beecher outlined his work. Now York: Fords,
Howard & Hubert. Indianapolis: The Bowen
Merrill Company.
s'Word Studies in the New Testament" by
DR.. NJ R. Vincent, is notable addition to
New Testament commentaries. DR.. Vincent is
widely known as profound biblical scholar and
critical student Of the Scriptures. This work
will stand as a monument to his learning, zeal
and piery. In his preface he says 1T is
tempt in field which, SO far as am aware, Is
not covered by any ono book though it has been
carefully and ably worked by many scholars.
Taking a position midway between the exeget-
ical commentary and the lexicon and grammar.
it aims to put the reader of the English Bible
nearer to tho standpoint of the Greek scholar
rate words of the New Testament in their lexcal
sense, their etymology their history, their in
Election and the peculiarities Of their usage by
different evaneelists and apostles From this
definition of the scope of the work, an idea will
be obtained of its value and heipfulness to bibi-
cal students and readers, and especially to those
who wish to trace the meaning of the New Tes-
lament writings to their original Greek sources
The work shows great research. and learning
and evidence of what the author says. viz. that
the task of its preparation with him was "a la
Dor OF love-" Volume I contains the synoptic
gospels, the Book of Acts and tho Epistes of
James, Peter and Jude. Price 81. New York
Charles Scribner's Sons Indianapolis: The
Bowen-Merrill Company.
It has bsen but few years since the bicycle
was first heard of; now they on every
hand and have already become a prominent
feature of modern outdoor life Around the
World on Bycicle," by Thomas Stevens. is
narrative OF a journey around the globe on one
of the machines. OF course that means the land
part OF Inc Journey as lux. OtovouS anu LIS
wheel had to invoke assistance to cross oceans
and rivers This was q very remarkable jour
ney and its narrative makes a remarkable book.
To undertake and perform such journey
quired manly qualities of high character, aud
Mr. Stevens has shown that he possesses them.
He is a born traveller. close observer and a
good narrator. His book is more than a clever
performance-it is a valuable addition to books
of travel. The traveller had many curious ad-
ventures, and they are all described. The work
will make two volumes. Volume I covers the
Journey from San Francisco to Teheran, travel
ing eastward. 1t is published in attractive style
with numerous illustrations. New York:
Charles Scribner's Sons; Indianapolis: The
BowenM Merrill Company.
Volumes and of Lecky's History of Eng
land in the Eighteenth Century" are out The